Another MS Orthopaedics medico at Sassoon Hospital suspended for alleged involvement in abandoning disabled patient

Pune: Another first-year postgraduate student of the Department of Orthopaedics at Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) has been suspended for alleged involvement in the abandonment of a handicapped patient by forceful discharge on July 22.  

This comes after an internal committee probing the incident found the involvement of a second junior medical student in escorting the patient out of the hospital, who had lost both of his legs and was undergoing treatment at the hospital. 

Medical Dialogues team, last week reported that a first-year student pursuing a master's in surgery in orthopaedics was suspended after he along with his colleague abandoned a destitute patient on a road several kilometres away from the hospital. 

Also read- First-year MS Orthopaedics medico suspended for allegedly abandoning destitute patient away from Sassoon General Hospital

The patient, a 32-year-old resident of Madhya Pradesh, who was admitted for treatment after a bus accident on June 16 had lost both legs and was taken out of the hospital and left to fend for himself on July 22 at midnight. Following this, the dean of BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, Dr Eknath Pawar initiated an inquiry into the incident after police registered a case against the doctor under section 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). 

A shocking video surfaced on social media showing the patient, with both his legs amputated, under a tree. Activist Ritesh Gaikwad and social activist Dadasaheb Gaikwad exposed this incident.

Apart from suspending the second junior resident doctor, the dean of BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, Dr Eknath Pawar also recommended the medical education authorities to expel both the doctor from the hostel and the college for one academic term. 

According to an official, both junior doctors were caught on CCTV cameras taking the patient outside the building premises. 

As per the latest TOI news report, Pawar said, "We have suspended the second doctor from academic activities till further notice and have also recommended that both be expelled from the hostel and the college for one academic term. We have sent a copy of the report to the medical education department, the DMER (Directorate of Medical Education and Research) director, and the medical education commissioner and the decision to expel the duo lies with them."

"No other staff, including nurses, was found involved in the incident. The report includes the reply from the head of the orthopaedic department, Dr Girish Bartakke, to our show cause notice. Bartakke has claimed that he was unaware of the incident and we have no proof of his involvement," he added.

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